East Orange teen charged in shooting death of another teen

View full sizeRochenel Estinphil, 19, in a photo provided by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

EAST ORANGE — A young man from East Orange is dead and another is behind bars accused of his murder, authorities said today.

Tyree Thomas, 18, was shot once in the head early Thursday at the corner of Park and North Maple avenues, police said. Thomas was taken to University Hospital in Newark shortly after the 12:30 shooting, but was pronounced dead at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement this afternoon.

Rochenel Estinphil, 19, surrendered to city police later that evening and was subsequently charged with murder, the prosecutor’s office said.

City police and detectives from the prosecutor’s homicide/major crimes task force said that Estinphil had targeted Thomas and that the two might have known each other.

The prosecutor's office did not release information on any possible motive.

Estinphil was charged with murder, as well as weapons offenses, and was to be taken to the county jail.